A discovery has been made of what could be the largest marine reptile to ever have existed in ancient seas This creature, estimated to have stretched over 25 meters in length, is a species of ichthyosaur named Ichthyotitan severnensis. Discovering ancient artefacts on the beach The discovery was made on a Somerset beach, UK, while fossil hunters were exploring the coastline for remains of prehistoric life. The BBC reported that in 2016, the first clue was found, a fossilised jawbone. After this discovery made by Paul De La Salle, he joined palaeontologist Dr Dean Lomax of the University of Bri ..read more

Seven Manchester researchers have been awarded prestigious European Research Council (ERC) advanced grants for ambitious, curiosity-driven scientific projects in an effort to support scientific breakthroughs The highly prestigious European Research Council (ERC) advanced grants are designed to provide outstanding research leaders with the opportunity to pursue ambitious, curiosity-driven projects that could lead to major scientific breakthroughs. Recipients include experts in optoelectronics, evolutionary biology, nuclear physics, chemistry, chemical biology, particle physics, and 2D ..read more

Can rats count? Neuroscientists have revealed the existence of number sense in rats Using this research we can understand animal cognition better and also explore the neural basis of numerical abilities and disabilities in humans. The collaborative research led by Professor Yung Wing-ho from the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and Professor Ke Ya from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Faculty of Medicine was published in the journal Science Advances. The researchers used methodologies combining numerical tasks, brain manipulation techniques and artificial intelligence modelling ..read more

The largest known stellar black hole in the Milky Way has been discovered Named Gaia BH3 and located 2,000 light years away from Earth, this black hole weighed 33 times the mass of our sun and was unveiled through its gravitational influence on a nearby distinctive wobble in its orbit. 33 times the mass of our sun The finding, announced prematurely due to its significance, offers a rare insight into the world of stellar black holes and shows the capabilities of modern-day astronomy. Stella black hole formations Stellar black holes, like Gaia BH3, form from the death of massive stars. When th ..read more

A team of astrophysicists led by Northwestern University has solved the cosmic mystery behind the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever observed, known as GRB 221009A, named the B.O.A.T. “brightest of all time” Detected in October 2022 and located 2.4 billion light-years away in the constellation Sagitta, this gamma-ray has left scientists curious about its origins. Looking at the aftermath of a historical event Led by Peter Blanchard from Northwestern’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), the team used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to confi ..read more

Drawing from decades of lunar research, including Apollo mission rock samples and advanced satellite observations, scientists have uncovered a clear description of how the moon transformed into the celestial body we see today The theory suggests that about 4.5 billion years ago, a collision between a young Earth and a smaller planet generated a debris cloud that coalesced into our moon. However, experts say the complex details of this lunar genesis have always been a mystery, resembling a complex “more of a choose-your-own-adventure novel.” Transformation of the moon The key to understanding t ..read more

Researchers from Japanese institutions have revealed insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) The study focused on the role of the KMT2C gene in ASD pathogenesis. Autism spectrum disorder contains a range of neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by repetitive behaviours and impaired social interactions. Genetic factors, particularly involving genes related to chromatin modification and gene transcription, have been implicated in ASD development. The gene KMT2C, containing a key enzyme in histone modification, has appeared as a significant player in ..read more

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has set on a journey to unveil the mysteries of our universe’s evolution, looking back 11 billion years into the past This telescope, located on a mountaintop in the United States, leads international efforts with contributions from over 900 researchers across 70 institutions worldwide. DESI’s primary mission The main mission is to chart the cosmic landscape of our universe’s infancy and trace its growth into the cosmos we observe today. By capturing light from the most distant areas of space, DESI is shedding unprecedented light on the enigmatic ..read more

Dark matter is one of the mysteries of modern science; it is invisible but affects everything around it, like stars and galaxies Scientists believe that dark matter makes up 85% of the mass within the universe. A team of researchers from the University of Chicago and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory have made an exciting discovery in the hunt for dark matter. Finding dark matter Their experiment, Broadband Reflector Experiment for Axion Detection or BREAD, has shared its first results. Although they have yet to find dark matter directly, they’ve made progress in figuring out where to look ..read more

Dogs might be even more intelligent than we first thought; researchers show that our furry friends might be able to assist us with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) The study shows that trained dogs can potentially sniff out impending PTSD flashbacks by getting subtle changes in human breath. Dogs can smell stress through human breath Laura Kiiroja, the lead author of the study and a researcher at Dalhousie University, explains, “PTSD service dogs are already trained to assist people during episodes of distress. “However, dogs are currently trained to respond to behavioural and physical cu ..read more